On gun-shot wounds of the extremities, requiring the different operations of amputation, with their after-treatment: establishing the advantages of amputation on the field of battle. To the delay usually recommended, &c. &c &c., with four explanatory plates / By G. J. Guthrie.

  • Guthrie, G. J. (George James), 1785-1856.
Date:
1815
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On gun-shot wounds of the extremities, requiring the different operations of amputation, with their after-treatment: establishing the advantages of amputation on the field of battle. To the delay usually recommended, &c. &c &c., with four explanatory plates / By G. J. Guthrie. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    419/446 (page 381)
    fore anil little fingers are not injured, as the soft parts belonging to the fingers to be removed are cut through; the saw or trephine is now to be applied and the bones cut across. The little flap saved on the upper and under part will cover the sawed bones, and the skin saved at the sides will leave enough to cover the bones remaining with the help of a strap of adhesive plaster, so as to leave only a line of incision every where.—If the nature of the wound will not allow the flaps to be made from every side in this way, each flap may be ta- ken from above or below, as circumstances will permit. Removing the middle metacarpal bone alone, must be done nearly in the same manner, but with more care, so that the articulation of the adjacent fingers be as little injured as possible. It must be re- collected that there is a wound through the hand, and that skin cannot be saved at will, it must, therefore, be kept either from the back part or inside, as will be most convenient, which, in almost every case in the hand, will somewhat vary the first incision. If there were no wound through the hand, the best mP'aner of removing the diseased bone would be as recommended by Mr. C. Bell; by a circular incision round the root of the finger, and continued down the back of the hand, when the diseased bone is to be dissected out. If the articulating heads must come out, a strong, but thin scalpel is to be used, and pushed in between